REMARKABLE "HOLD-UP"

Evening Star, Issue 17792, 14 October 1921, Page 6

REMARKABLE "HOLD-UP"

A COLOSSAL .11 LUFF. In a- South Melbourne court the other day a. strange story was told when Arthur ] I olden (twenty-one), driver, and Albert Auhrey Morion (twenty-two), packer, were charged with demanding money with men aces of force. In support of the application for a remand, evidence was given that at 8.30 p.m. on the previous day Clarence Williams, with live or six companions, entered a .shelter shed in a playground off Hanna' street to obtain cover from tho rain. After a time Morton, Holden, and a young woman, about nineteen years of ago, nppoaivil ,-it, Ihe door. As if addressing a largo Punnier of men approaching tlio shed, the woman slioultvl ; “ Hero they are I" liaising a bottle threateningly over his head, cither Morion, or Hohloii demanded of the men in (Im ; ,Vd that they “hand over’’ all (.heir money. Williams refused to do so. They were thou informed that mi’css they handed over their money limy would bo detained there until (hey did. The doorway was barred. Shortly afterwards tho door was opened. “ Will you come out and fight?’’ asked ono of tiro inrii. Not knowing bow many they might have to encounter, the beleaguered party ina<ta no ct 1-onipt to rnovo onfc to join in hostilities with the enemy. Their prudence drew a siring <4 derisive taunts from the woman. Again the door was slammed and bamxl outside, and the out-

side walls loudly banged with bars or batons. intimidation in ibis form went on till 10 o’clock, when tin; besieged wvr« warned that the investing force was about to t usll the place. Keeling themselves in a desperate position thn men in the shed calk’d out that they would surrender. The door was thrown open, and one of the men took his .stand on the side of it, holding a bottle over his head. Opposite him inis two companions stationed tncnjw.lvcs. As he was passing out of the door Williams handed over, as the raiworn for his freedom, what money .ho had —<h; Cd. Hk* friends also banded over money. Ik- a chi ng tho footpath they looked had: io soo the two men and their female companion running off in another direction, but with no bund of followers behind them or in sight. Tha members of the company which had been “stuck up” then realised that they had been bluffed. The incident was reported to the police. At 11,15 Constables J. Kennedy and A. Herman found Morton and Holden, both drunk, in Dorcas street.

Tho application for the remand was granted. Each of the .accused was allowed bail in ono surety of £SO and his own bond for a like amount.